Live to be 85 (or older!)

I read an online article that mentioned that once you make it to 65, you could easily live another 19.3 years.

So, what does that mean for the average near-retirement-age person? It implies that there is more to the story than just reaching a certain biological number. Being able to manage existing or potential chronic conditions is the key. That includes choosing a healthy lifestyle: no smoking, limited alcohol, maintaining a healthy diet.

Doing such things sounds boring, right? Well, maybe; but if you’re going to live to about 85 years old or older, wouldn’t you rather feel healthy while doing it?

The National Institutes of Health strongly claims that regular physical activity helps even the frailest of seniors living a longer, healthier and more mobile life. Regular physical activity doesn’t have to mean doing hard-core workout regimes that include burpees, pushups and full sit-ups. But, it does require movement.

As we age, our bodies have a harder time resisting diseases and disability – and that’s simply because of the aging process. But, regular activity up to 150 a week can stave off disease and immobility. The best workout mixes include brisk walking, flexibility and strength exercises. The NIH completed a study that showed a significant reduction is risk of mobility disability simply by walking. Walking helps with balance and muscle strength (in the lower body) as well as improved cardiovascular health.

The great thing about walking is that it doesn’t require anything special (except maybe a good pair of shoes). You don’t need a gym membership and you certainly don’t need to wear Spandex! So, if you haven’t been walking or doing any movement at all…it’s not too late to start. Just “google” ‘walking programs’ and a plethora of options appear. There are a few steps you should probably take before starting.

First, you should contact your primary care physician to make sure it’s OK for you to start being more physically active. This is especially important for those who are age 65 or over, have been sedentary for a long time, have an existing medical condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, or various medical conditions.

Next, once you obtain doctor approval, the steps are easy:

1. Pick a start date and hold yourself to it! Perhaps find a friend to walk with and to keep each other accountable

2. Get a good pair of walking shoes. Don’t walk in those old slippers or beat-up comfy shoes you wear to the grocery store. Get a good pair and keep them specifically for walking. You might want to check out some good socks too.

3. Determine a goal per week or month. Perhaps this would be to walk around the block by Friday, or walk 6 miles each week, or walk for 30 minutes three times a week. Whatever your goal, however, make it attainable. For your first week, it’s not smart to set an unrealistic goal of walking 100 miles when you barely can walk across the room! Start slow and build.

4. Set up rewards for yourself. Treat yourself to a massage after the first week of regular walking or after you hit the first 25 miles. Whatever you like, you and your walking buddies can come up with all kinds of unique rewards to keep you motivated.

5. Get outside and walk. Be prepared for all kinds of weather, including an umbrella for rainy days, or heavier walking boots for snowy ones. If you’re footing is unsure at the start, I strongly recommend finding an indoor alternative on snowy days...perhaps a few trips around the mall?

6. Track your progress. How else will you know when to reward yourself?

Walking can be fun and enjoyable. It also can be rewarding for your overall health.

So, go take a walk!

Works used for this article:
Pahor, M. et al. (2014). Effect of structured physical activity on prevention of major mobility disability in older adults: the LIFE study randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Medical Asscoaition, 311(23), 2387-2396. Available online at https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/jul2014/capsule1

Vann, M. R. (2015). The 15 most common health concerns for seniors. Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/most-common-health-concerns-seniors/

 

 

Aerobics after 80?

Aerobics for older adults isn’t as odd as it sounds. By “older adults,” I’m talking about those well past retirement age. As an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified group fitness instructor, I taught my first senior aerobics class a few weeks ago called “Fit Forever.” Aside from the participants being a delightful group of people, I realized afterward how critical it is to keep exercising throughout your life – even after 80 (which was about the average age of my students).

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, seniors should engage in regular aerobic exercise for the same benefits as younger folks: mental and physical well-being. Although the benefits are the same for young and old, the importance for seniors to exercise far exceeds that of younger people. As we age, our muscles lose tone and often become rigid. To keep your muscles as healthy as possible, exercise is imperative.

The aging process cannot be reversed, but we can improve our quality of life as we age simply by moving more. The skeleton is the main structure and provides support for your entire body to stand up. Your joints are what allow you to be flexible, to bend and move when needed. The muscles provide the force and strength to move your body. When we age, all of these mechanisms (skeleton, joints, and muscles) lose their ability to do their job. However, we can certainly reduce the amount of loss by working exercise into our routines.

There is absolutely no need to do high-impact step aerobics, or high-intensity training through burpees, jumping lunges, and mountain climbers. The concept is simply to move and do so regularly. Aerobic exercise uses oxygen to help fuel the muscles and energize the body. When we move, we continue to maintain our body’s use of its bones, joints, and muscles.

In my recent class of about 30 adults, some of the aerobics work we did included marching in place, three-step grapevines, forward and back stepping, and reaching above and sideways. Being set to music, the workout was fun, went fast, and was enjoyable for everyone. Frankly, even I broke a sweat, and I was about half of their age! So, senior aerobics isn’t a “wimpy” workout, it is functional fitness to maintain strength and endurance during the “Golden” years.

My point is this: just because you age, doesn’t mean you should give up your life. Keep moving. That’s actually the point behind many senior-oriented workouts. One such well-known national program is right in your backyard: SilverSneakers. It’s currently available at the Meadville Family YMCA. While there are many senior-type programs, SilverSneakers is often covered by insurance and is available nationally. According to the SilverSneakers’ website: “It is a comprehensive program that improves overall well-being, strength and social aspects” and is available in more than 13,000 locations nationwide. Membership provides access to fitness equipment, group classes and education for senior citizens ages 65 and older.

Even if SilverSneakers is not available where you are, there are numerous other senior-focused classes much like the Fit Forever class I taught. Check with your favorite fitness facility to see what they have to keep you healthy. As always, before starting an exercise regime, please check with your primary care physician to ensure the class(es) you are looking to attend are right for you.

Most importantly, have fun. Exercise does have its benefits but it should never become a burden. Do what makes you feel good and improve your health.

 

Works used for this article:

Hurd, R. (2014). Aging changes in the bones, muscles, joints. Retrieved from https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/004015.htm

SilverSneakers Fitness. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.silversneakers.com/

 

 

 

Social Media Explosion: Are We Hurting or Helping Ourselves?

It’s no surprise that the use of social media is exploding in our country. Every teen and young adult seems to have their head focused on their phone, checking out their Facebook page, Tweeting, posting on Instagram, and so on. We want to stay connected with the news, loved ones, and life happenings in general.

What may be more surprising is the significant growth of social media users over the age of 65. A Pew Research Center 2013-2014 survey found that Facebook is the biggest winner of the social media assemblage with 56% of seniors ages 65+ “Facebooking” today.

Key notes from the survey found that multi-platform use (using two or more social media sites) experienced an increase of adult users from 42% in 2013 to 52% in 2014. For the youth, ages 18-29, Instagram saw a significant increase is users whereas roughly half of that population now uses the site. Many of these individuals – youth and older adults alike – are finding the smart phone apps so convenient that this is likely a main cause of the exponential increase in social medial use.

Along with the user growth with cell phones social media apps comes a significant reduction in health. These health issues are not what you would expect. Earlier reports of cell phone use reported the exposure to radiofrequency fields that are emitted when the phone is actually used close to your body (i.e. using it as an actual phone). These health issues revolve around the physical dangers of simply using the phone for play.

Responding to Facebook posts, texting, or posting Instagram photos actually creates spinal misalignment. Looking down at the phone puts extra pressure on the spine, according to a study published in the Surgical Technology International journal. For example, tilting your head downward even by 15 degrees exerts almost 30 pounds of pressure on the spine.  Most people lean much further when on their phone apps, perhaps even up to 60 degrees, which exerts 60 pounds onto the spine. In its neutral position, the head and neck only exert 10-12 pounds of pressure onto the spine.

Thus, when people walk around face down into their phones, they might as well be dragging a 60-pound weight around their necks.

A second overuse of cell phone apps injury is carpal tunnel syndrome, or what has now been coined “cellphone elbow.” Overusing the tendons in the arms and fingers can cause inflammation, pain and numbness.

A third health concern is eye damage. Most people understand this is a significant issue from TV screens or computer screens, but cell phone screens? Oh yes. Several studies over the years have found that blue light from personal electronic devices have been linked to macular degeneration, cataracts and higher cancer risk. In addition, looking at your lighted phone in a dark room can be harmful to the eyes, causing overall vision damage.

Another issue in the increase use of social media by adults is they are endangering the lives of their children and grandchildren. According to a graduate student from Yale University, who is developing a paper on the topic, parents are busy posting, tweeting, pinning, and doing other social media activities that children they are watching are getting injured. He found that when AT&T rolled out their new 3G network several years ago, injuries to children more than doubled at the local hospitals. Apparently, the children were not closely supervised by their guardians and were getting injured.

It’s important to stay connected, and if social media is convenient, go for it. The key is to keep it to a minimum. Adopt the same attitude as you would foods: “all in moderation.” Keep your health, put the phone down now and then!



Works used for this article:

Dallas, K. (2014). 4 unexpected health risks of smartphone use. Retrieved from http://national.deseretnews.com/article/2841/4-unexpected-health-risks-of-smartphone-use.html

Duggan, M., Ellison, N. B., Lampe, C., Lenhart, A., and Madden, M. (2015). Social media update 2014. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/social-media-update-2014/

Hansraj, K. K. (n.d.) Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by poster and position of the head. Surgical Technology International, XXV. Available online at https://cbsminnesota.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/spine-study.pdf

Kohli, S. (2014). Are parents on iPhones endangering their kids? Retrieved from http://qz.com/#295483/are-parents-on-iphones-endangering-their-kids/

World Health Organization. (2013). What are the health risks associated with mobile phones and their base stations? Retrieved from http://www.who.int/features/qa/30/en/

 

 

 

Don't Pet the Armadillos!

Here’s a new thought: Leprosy returns to the United States.

A recent leprosy outbreak in Florida has people scratching their heads a bit. Most people hear about leprosy (also known as Hansen’s Disease) when they read the Bible. You don’t really think about it as a significant disease of today, but guess again.

In Florida, nine cases of leprosy have been reported so far this year. According to the Florida Department of Health, the culprit is actually the armadillo. Floridians view the armadillo much like Pennsylvanians view the possum: a nuisance rodent. Most Pennsylvanians wouldn’t consider approaching the possum for a quick “pat on the head” but some people in Florida do just that with their armadillo residents. They reach out, pet the animals, and go about their way.

Unfortunately, that touch could potentially transfer leprosy from the armadillo to the unsuspecting human. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, armadillos are natural carriers of leprosy (Who knew?). The good news is that the risk is low. Adolescents and those older than age 30 are at greatest risk, but only if they physically touch the armadillo.

Hansen’s disease is a bacterial infection that mainly affects the skin, nerves and mucous membranes. Some of the symptoms include skin lesions, thickening of the skin, numbness, pain, and potential blindness. Unlike in Biblical times, leprosy is now treatable. The treatment includes between 6 months to two years of antibiotics, so the disease is a tough one to kick.

Of interest, leprosy has affected close to two million people worldwide, especially in high infection countries such as Brazil, Angola, India, Nepal and Tanzania. The disease can spread from person to person if the infected individual is not being treated.

In Pennsylvania, the biggest risk of petting the ubiquitous possum is rabies. Like leprosy, rabies is not a walk in the park either. Early symptoms include weakness, fever or headache. Later symptoms include cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, and agitation. Progressive symptoms could also involve delirium, hallucinations and insomnia. Death is imminent once clinical signs are rabies appear. Early treatment includes a tetanus shot, if you have not had a rabies vaccine within the past ten years. For those who have never been vaccinated, vaccination is given. The best protection against rabies is getting vaccinated and keeping the vaccine current.

That’s the key difference between leprosy and rabies: rabies has a prevention vaccine while leprosy does not.

The point here: if you live in Pennsylvania, get a rabies vaccine. If you vacation in Florida, don’t pet the armadillos.

Works used for this article

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Leprosy. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/leprosy/exposure/armadillos.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Rabies. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/index.html

Miller, K. (2015). Florida is facing a leprosy outbreak. You’ll never guess what may be the cute culprit. Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/health/florida-is-facing-a-leprosy-outbreak-youll-never-124760030587.html

 

Use THRIVE to reduce sexual violence against children

A recent report released June 5 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that sexual violence against children is on the rise – particularly in seven countries. The United States was not among that list, but that does not mean our children are free from that type of violence.

In the report, the CDC found that in most countries more than 25% of females and more than 10% of males reported experiencing childhood sexual violence. In about half of the countries, more than 10% of women reported unwanted penetrative sexual encounters. Interestingly, many of those children who sought services (which were very few) did not receive them. What’s wrong with this picture?

The countries in the report were Cambodia, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. All of the abuse cases were reported between 2007 and 2013, thus, the data is very new. The biggest concern here is not only that the children were sexually abused, but that services were not provided to assist them at the time of the incident  – even when they were sought out.

In the United States, the statistics are very similar. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center reported that more than 20% of all children are sexually abused before the age of 8 while 24.7% of girls and 16% of boys are sexually abused before age 18. In addition, 14% of those children were under age 6 at the time of the encounter; and about 40% of the time, the abuser was a family member.

While the CDC’s recent report doesn’t include the US statistics, the agency does recognize that children is just about every country are sexually abused.

As a result of the recent CDC report, a new strategy was developed to help countries such as those researched by the CDC reduce violence against children. The THRIVES strategy is a group of actions that reflects  evidence-based practices to help reduce and potentially eliminate violence against children. This strategy includes:

T = Training in parenting. This will assist parents in how to reduce violence in the home and to also recognize potential abuse in your child.

H = Household economic strengthening. This area provides economic security that will reduce various acts of violence prompted by economic pressures that may occur in the home.

R = Reduced violence through protective policies. Creating laws and regulations with accompanying strict punishments can assist with violence reduction.

I = Improved services. Offer services to all who need them, no one should be turned away.

V = Values and norms that protect children. The idea here is to change attitudes that promote violence against children. This includes a paradigm shift in attitudes, values and beliefs in particular as they relate to children.

E = Education and life skills. This includes family education as well as in-school academic knowledge that builds life skills and empowers children to prevent date violence and rape, particular against girls.

S = Surveillance and evaluation. To ensure other policies and procedures are in place and working effectively, it is important to monitor and evaluate them on a regular basis.

 

While the strategies were specifically developed for those aforementioned countries, they are certainly applicable for families in the United States. If you suspect abuse of a family member or neighbor, you should report it to the police.

 

Works used for this article:

National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2015). Sexual violence against children. Retrieved from http://www.nsvrc.org/projects/lifespan/sexual-violence-against-children

Prevalence of sexual violence against children and use of social services in seven countries – 2007-2013. (June 5, 2015). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly, 64(21), 565-569. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6421a1.htm?s_cid=mm6421a1_w

If Your Hair Could Talk

There’s a completely different world out there when it comes to drug testing. I recently had an experience where I needed to have a drug test as part of the hiring process for a part time job. Naïve as I am in this particular world, I thought that most everyone in the testing center was doing the same thing as I was doing, however, most of them were there for DUI testing, random drug tests as part of their probation, or court-ordered for a plethora of reasons.

From a public health standpoint, drug testing is important…and not just for alcohol abuse most commonly found in DUI incidents, but for various reasons of public and health safety. What was most interesting was learning from the testing site about the various kinds of drug tests that some people must endure. This includes the traditional urine analysis and blood tests, but also sweat tests, saliva tests and a rather new technique known as the hair follicle test.

Hair follicle testing is a hair screening that uses a small sample of hair strands to identify specific drugs that have been in the person’s body over 90 days. Who knew our hair could contain so much historical data on our personal habits?

The hair sample is cut close to the scalp, with at least 1.5 inches in length. Because they need multiple strands about the width of a pinky finger, several small strands are cut from various places on the head; thus, recipients do not come out with what might be considered a butchered haircut. Of interest, if the person’s head hair isn’t at least that long (such as in bald men), they can use chest hair or even pubic hair if necessary.

Drugs found through the follicles in your hair include cocaine, marijuana, opiates, methamphetamines, and phencyclidine. When there is suspicion for one of these drugs, the federal government actually mandates this type of test. Of interest, our hair can tell us an interesting story about our drug use. After a substance is ingested, metabolites are produced by the body as the drug circulates through the body. In essence, they enter and actually nourish the hair follicle, which then becomes part of the chemical make-up of your hair.

Every single hair on your body regenerates every 7 years, so it is impossible to go beyond that time frame for drug samples. The standard period of time used for hair follicle testing is 90 days because the likelihood of losing your hair from breakage or cutting is less likely.

The hair follicle test was discovered by accident in 1966-67 as a researcher was looking into tissue regeneration in rats. It was found that the properties of hair follicles contained significant information on cell properties. They are rather new, not even 50 years old yet.

The key in the public health world is that we are truly trying to keep you safe from harming yourself and others. Drugs and alcohol are elements that should not be part of your regular regime. Get caught and you may be subject to testing. It may be easy to trick someone with a urine test, but it’s much harder to tamper with your hair follicles.

 

Works used for t his article:

 

I Passed My Drug Test. (n.d.). Hair Follicle Drug Testing FAQ. Retrieved from http://www.ipassedmydrugtest.com/hair_drug_test_FAQ.asp.

Plikus, M. V. (2014). At the dawn of hair research – testing the limits of hair follicle regeneration. Experimental Dermatology, 23(5), 314-315.

There's a New BUG in Town

Now that summer is peeking over the horizon, those who live in the Northeast are preparing for flea and tick season. Most of us are aware of deer ticks and the potential for Lyme disease. But, there’s a new bug in town that may be just as deadly as its sister. This one is known as Powassan Virus

The disease is relatively new and was discovered in Powassan, Canada in 1958 when a 5-year-old boy died from encephalitis caused by the Powassan virus. While very few cases have been reported in the past, the incident rate is slowly rising with most of the cases coming out of Minnesota and New York. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 17 reported cases of the disease from 2004 to 2013 in New York and 20 from Minnesota over the same time span. Pennsylvania reported only 1 case.

That doesn’t really tell the whole story. Those numbers only represent those that were tested and reported. Cases of Powassan virus are often mistaken for other health issues. The Powassan virus can act like Lyme Disease but it can also cause two very distinct diseases: encephalitis and meningitis. Both illnesses cause inflammation in the head and brain: encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain itself and meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Both are deadly.

There are various strains of encephalitis, but the one closely connected to Powassan is TBE – Tickborne Encephalitis. The Powassan virus is not always caused by TBE but the virus is often not tested for either. Of interest, the focal areas of TBE are Europe and Asia with an average of 8,500 cases reported annually. For the most part, it is travelers who are at greatest risk of bringing TBE back to the states, if they are infected.

While human cases of Powassan are low, there have been more cases of the virus discovered in at least 38 other mammals including rodents, woodchucks, skunks, dogs, and cats.

A blood or spinal fluid test would be able to determine if the virus was in the body. This test must specifically look for antibodies that the immune system would make in order to detect viral activity. Lyme disease is very different from Powassan in that there is a treatment. Lyme disease is a bacterial disease that antibiotics can effectively treat. Powassan is a flavivirus similar to West Nile or Dengue fever and does not have a cure or treatment regime.

The North American Powassan virus is being classified as coming from a newly evolved subtype of the deer tick. According to the Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, a journal focused on infectious diseases, the Powassan virus is specific to three tick species: Ixodes cookei, I. marxi and I. spinipalpus. To the general population, the names are useless, but for those in the field, this provides crucial information to track and monitor the potential spread of Powassan-carrying ticks. As it appears that the disease incidence is slowly rising, it is critical to stop the spread of the culprit ticks.

One of the keys to keep the Powassan virus at bay is through routine monitoring and tracking. If we can avoid spreading the disease, we can keep the incidence rates low.

Those at high risk for Powassan are those who live in wooded areas, particularly the same locations as you might encounter ticks and Lyme disease. What makes this virus so deadly is that it often doesn’t come with symptoms. The person simply just develops encephalitis or meningitis after as long as a one-month incubation period.

The best way to reduce infection is to avoid contact with ticks – much like you would to reduce your risk of contracting Lyme Disease. Treating skin and clothing with insect repellents while in heavily wooded areas are recommended as well.

If you find a tick on your skin, remove it quickly before it has a chance to bite. After being in the woods, it is best to do a full body check before you walk into your home. Check all pets and equipment as well. Then, shower within two hours after being outdoors.

If you have been or believe you have been bit by a tick, consult your healthcare provider immediately. While it may not be Lyme disease or Powassan virus, you certainly want to make sure.



Works used for this article:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Powassan virus. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/powassan/index.html

EI Khoury, M. Y., Camargo, J. F., and Wormser, G. P. (2013). Changing epidemiology of Powassan encephalitis in North America suggest the emergence of the deer tick virus subtype. Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, 11(10), 983-985.

El Khoury, M. Y., Camargo, J. F., White, J. L., Backenson, B. P., Dupuis II, A. P., Escuyer, K. L., Kramer, L., St. George, K., Chatterjee, D., Prusinski, M., Wormser, G. P., and Wong, S. J. (2013). Potential role of deer tick virus in Powassan encephalitis cases in Lyme Disease-endemic areas of New York, USA. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 19(12), 1926-1933.